Preliminary hydrogen reduction of iron from complex iron-bearing ores and subsequent liquid-phase separation
Kosdauletov N. Abilberikova A. Adilov G. Suleimen B. Kelamanov B. Sariyev O. Yessengaliyev D. Abdirashit A. Sholtaeva K.
June 2026Elsevier B.V.
Results in Engineering
2026#30
The present study investigates the preliminary hydrogen reduction of iron from complex iron-bearing manganese and nickel ores followed by liquid-phase separation of the reduction products. Iron–manganese and nickel ores from deposits in the Republic of Kazakhstan, containing Fe, Mn, Ni, and Si oxides, were examined. Solid-state reduction was carried out in a vertical high-temperature furnace at 800–1100 °C with a 60 min isothermal holding time in a hydrogen atmosphere (99.99%) at a flow rate of 0.5 L/min. Selective reduction of iron was achieved in iron–manganese ores, whereas simultaneous reduction of iron and nickel occurred in nickel ores, with manganese predominantly remaining in the oxide state. Metallic phase formation was observed already at 800 °C, and increasing the temperature to 900 °C enhanced the degree of iron reduction. Subsequent smelting of the pre-reduced materials at 1650 °C for 5 min enabled separation into metallic and slag phases. For iron–manganese ore, the metal and slag yields were 11.5% and 88.5%, respectively, confirming effective transfer of iron into the metallic phase while retaining manganese in the oxide phase. In nickel ore processing, phase separation was limited by the formation of a highly viscous slag with elevated iron oxide content. The results demonstrate the potential of preliminary hydrogen reduction followed by liquid-phase separation for processing complex refractory ores, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. For nickel ores, the inclusion of a preliminary magnetic separation stage prior to smelting is recommended to improve separation efficiency.
Hydrogen reduction , Iron-bearing ores , Liquid-phase separation , Low-carbon metallurgy , Manganese ores , Nickel ores , Solid-state reduction
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Department of Metallurgy and Mining, K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, Aktobe, 030000, Kazakhstan
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Karaganda Industrial University, Temirtau, 101400, Kazakhstan
Department of Metallurgy and Mining
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science
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Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026